Sunday, September 13, 2015

AG Place, Disney Store and Other Travel Pics :)

Hello, everyone! It's been a bit quiet here on the blog for a bit, and for that I apologize. I'm still getting back into the crazy routine of the "back to school" schedule, so my blogging has not been as regular as I'd hoped. Plus, I caught a little cold this weekend and have been trying to rest up so I don't miss too much this week.

I've been continuing my Gym Vlogs over on YouTube. You can check out that playlist HERE. :)

This past Tuesday, my mom and I had to travel to the San Francisco area to pick up one of my aunts from the airport. So, of course, we took the opportunity to hit a Disney Store and the American Girl Place. :D

My doll Jenna and my mom's doll Chrissa joined us for the fun. My niece's car seat was the perfect size for them to share. :)

We started with our traditional lunch stop at Panera in the Nut Tree shopping center.

Hee hee, I love the two people in the background wondering what on earth I'm doing here. ;) To get this picture, I set Jenna and Chrissa on top of my mom's van and then stood in the van doorway to get the right angle. I probably looked a little goofy, but I got a great shot! :)

There was a big Aladdin display in preparation for the upcoming Blu-ray release.

One of the Frozen displays. There were a lot more costumes on display than usual since Halloween is just around the corner.

Princess costumes and dolls.

There was a little section devoted to the live action version of Cinderella. I was really hoping they'd have the big new doll set that includes the Stepmother and Stepsisters so I could see it in person, but it wasn't there.

The DAC doll display. You can see all of the adorable mini dolls on the bottom. :)

I took a quick picture of the Belle and Beast decorations at the top of the store just because. ;)

Next we headed over to Build-A-Bear Workshop since I had a $10 gift card there.

Everyone is Star Wars crazy right now because of the new movie coming out in December. Build-A-Bear is no different. ;) I love the stuffed Chewbaca! :)

This was also my first opportunity to see the Build-A-Bear Lalaloopsies in person.

They are just adorable. (Crumbs is shown here.)

Lala outfits and accessories.

These cute jammies have matching girl-sized ones.

The other side of the display.

Peanut is super cute as well. :)

The wall of friends to choose from. Whenever I go to Build-A-Bear, I have this overwhelming urge to make a stuffed animal. It's so much fun, and there are so many cute ones to choose from.

Then I remember how crowded my room is getting, and how my poor Fluttershy is already overwhelming. ;) If I had unlimited space (and funds), Applejack, Celestia, Luna, Toothless, and one of the Lalas would probably come home with me. ;)

I had to stop to take a picture of these ginormous Beanie Boos at the candy store.

They're huge! My girls love these, and I knew they would enjoy seeing pictures of the big ones.

My mom bought mini DAC Rapunzel and Snow White at the Disney Store. She let Jenna and Chrissa hold them on the way to the AG Place.

Rapunzel

Snow White

Our next major stop was the American Girl Place! :D

Sadly, because of time constraints, we only had about an hour to see everything in the store, so Mom and I booked it and had to make quick decisions about what we would purchase.

This was my first time at the store since the release of Maryellen, the new BeForever doll from the fifties, so I wanted to get as many pictures of her collection as possible. Because of that, I focused on taking pictures of her stuff, Grace's stuff, and some of the new releases from the Truly Me line.

The store was almost empty, and none of the employees approached us and asked if we needed help, so I was able to take pictures without feeling weird. The employees were helpful when we asked for anything, but other than that pretty much left us to shop unassisted, which was such an odd contrast to the other times we've been there. Usually, they come up and bend over backwards to see if you need any help, whether it's your first time at the store, or if you're shopping for any particular occasion. It wasn't a bad experience or anything, just different.

As we got further into the store, one of the employees at the register asked my mom if she'd cut Grace's hair. Mom explained that she hadn't, it was just a Chrissa doll in Grace's clothing. The gal enthusiastically remarked how cute she was and how she had no idea how similar the two dolls looked. Of course, then she called her Karissa, which was a little funny. ;)

I had hoped to snag Caroline's Spencer and Hat to go with her Travel Dress that I already have. However, a few days before we left, I checked out the AG website and saw how few of Caroline's items were left, so I knew that my chances of finding any of her stuff were slim. I asked one of the employees about it. She headed to the back of the store (there's not even a display for Caroline anymore), and then told me apologetically that all they had left was Caroline, her accessories, her boat, and her bed. Bummer. :(

Anyway, on to my pics of Maryellen's amazing collection! :D

Her display as you first enter the store.

This is Maryellen's living room set.

My mom and aunt LOVE this table and accessories set.

Maryellen's TV set.

Maryellen and her couch.

Maryellen's main display.

A closer look at all of the different outfits.

Her Birthday Dress

Her Poodle Skirt Outfit (my mom bought this)

Her School Outfit

She has some great school accessories, too. :)

Her are her Ice Skating Outfit and Play Outfit.

And here's her Meet Outfit and Accessories.

The Seaside Diner was ADORABLE!! :D

The jukebox really plays music, and I think it has the option of connecting to your cell phone.

The detail on the corner booth and the food was amazing.

Maryellen in her poodle skirt, saddle oxfords, and apron.

The front of the diner.

Jenna and Maryellen hung out for a while and got acquainted. ;)

Here's another look at the diner. This one was in a display case, so it was a little harder to get pictures without major glare.

Yep, see? There's the cell phone next to the jukebox. :)

This was the girl outfit inspired by Maryellen's Poodle Skirt Outfit.

I hadn't seen Samantha's beautiful gazebo in person yet, so I snapped a quick shot of that. I think this is the only BeForever item I took a picture of besides Maryellen's collection and the mini dolls. :}

This was also our first time getting to see Grace's whole collection in person, so that was really fun.

Her Patisserie was so cute.

Sweet treats on display.

A table with more goodies.

The menu board.

Here's Grace with her cart.

There were also cute aprons, outfits, and baking gear.

By this time, we had to use the bathroom, so we headed upstairs.

As always, it was fun seeing the doll holders in the stall. (Jenna was really embarrassed to pose for this picture, but I made her do it anyway. I'm mean like that.) ;)

Another major change since we last visited AG was the switch from "My American Girl" to "Truly Me". It was fun to see the new outfits and new dolls.

I didn't get pictures of all of the newbies, but here's #64 (Jess's mold with Ivy's eyes).

My favorite of the newest Truly Me dolls is #62, who has a Sonali mold, medium skin, and beautiful amber eyes.

I took another shot to get a better look at her eye color.

I'm not in the market for another doll right now, but if I were, #62 would definitely be one of the major contenders. I think she'd make a great sister for Anjali. :)

Here's one of the displays showing the Slow Cooker set.

My mom really likes this set. :)

Here's the newest pet, too, the Yorkie.

One of the cute school displays.

Beauty shop display.

Pet Grooming Display

I think this outfit, the Recess Ready Outfit, is kinda cute. I especially like it with the new Silver Sparkle Beanie. (In the catalog, one of the dolls was wearing the two together, and it looked really cute.)

An adorable Christmas display with this year's holiday dresses.

My mom and I didn't care for this dress as much. It's super short on the dolls.

I really liked this one, though. :)

I love the accessories this year, especially the ribbon candy. :)

There was another #62 on display, so I took some good, close-up pictures of her. :)

So gorgeous! :D

The TV and other accessories are darling.

I love that it includes a DVD of the Grace movie.

You can even see the little DVD inside. :)

New PJs! :D Aren't they fun?

Here's another new outfit, the "Shimmer & Lace Party Dress".

Here it is in the display case.

And more new releases!

I really like this one (the "Warm Winter Outfit") except for the stretch pants.

The Winter White Outfit.

And here's the lovely horse-drawn carriage, also new for this year. :)

They had another Maryellen display upstairs, too, so I got a few more pics.

This table set is super cute. I can see why Mom and Mimi like it so much. :)

I love the vintage TV Guide.

A look at the inside.

Here's Maryellen's pajama set.

Our time was running out, so we headed back downstairs to make our purchases.

Mini dolls! :D

Jenna had informed me that she really wanted to pick out a doll. Since I know how thrilling it is to pick out your very own brand new doll at the AG Place, I let her. :)

It was a hard decision...

...but in the end, she couldn't pass up adorable Maryellen. :)

I also bought the new Tweed Driver's Cap and a pair of AG Jeans for the dolls. My mom ended up with Maryellen's Poodle Skirt Outfit (as I mentioned before) and one of the white display shelves for the mini dolls.

I've taken lots of pics of our purchases from the day, but as this post is already pretty picture heavy, I think I'll save those for next time. :)

I hope you enjoyed seeing all of the fun new items from AG and the other pics as well. From this point on in the trip, I didn't really take any other pictures. We had a wonderful time and got home at 1:00 in the morning. Then I got to take my girls to school at 8:00. :} I'm so glad I went, though. It's been a long time since Mom and I have had a road trip, and it was fun sharing time with my aunt on the way back.

Have a great week, and stay tuned for more goodies! :D

For more info on any of these items, be sure to check out the official websites for the Disney Store, Build-A-Bear, and American Girl. (Just click on the names.) AG has some great sales and is currently offering free shipping with purchases over $100. The Disney Store has a bonus 40% off of select items, which I believe ends tonight. Build-A-Bear has free shipping on orders over $40, and also has the newly released DJ Pon-3 and "Muffins" (aka Ditzy-Doo/Derpy) plushies. Lots of fun stuff, and Christmas will be here sooner than we know it! ;)

9 comments:

Lol, not that I need anymore dolls (I'm at 16, 2 of which I need to repaint eyebrows on, and 3 other dolls that are in 'the works'), but 62 is my number one wish list doll right now too! TechGuy has her pic tag, and she will eventually be coming to live with me. I fell in love with her from just her pictures, and seeing her at the AG Place in DC sealed it for me. (Of course, we went the weekend before the ME/new Truly Me release)

I grew up in Daytona Beach, FL, so, while I may not want Mary Ellen, I think I'm going to love her story and collection. Her birthday dress, play outfit, and her diner are my favorite parts of her collection, and I can't wait to get to see them in person. I have a re-wigged Grace, and I just got her pjs on the DC trip. I want to, when I finally have the space for a doll house or set of doll rooms like you have, try to build Grace's Bakery and the Diner. But time (and space) will tell.

I love all the pictures, it was great to see the new stuff. And it looks like you had a lot of fun with your mom and aunt.

Oh man, I think I need #62. She's so pretty! I haven't decided on a name for her yet, but I'm pretty sure she'll be friends with my Felicity, Kanani, and Isabelle. I'm not going to be getting her for a while, though- I'm pretty much out of spending money after I got the Project MC2 McKeyla and Adrienne dolls, haha! (The Netflix series is really cute, I totally recommend it. And I love how diverse the dolls are!) Your comment about Halloween reminded me that I should get started on my costume! I'm being Scarlet Witch this year, although it was a close call between her and Darcy Lewis from the Thor movies. My Saige has informed me that she wants to be Black Widow, so that'll be interesting to figure out. ;)Hope you had a nice weekend! ~Julia

I'm kinda liking the poodle skirt outfit, but would really love a review of it before a final decision...please? Did you see the newest Grace outfit? (Can't remember the name, the one with the shrug) how does it look in person?

The AG dolls still don't appeal to me, but, on a whim, one day I picked up some of the AG books, and I did enjoy reading the four that I got (one of Samantha's and three of Kirsten's) and will likely purchase additional volumes in the future. I appreciate that they have more "meat" to them than most children's stories and that they don't ignore some of the more unpleasant realities of life (poverty, racism, death, etc.) that usually get swept under the rug (for example, I also recently bought a Disney Bambi book that "conveniently" pretends that his mother was never shot by a hunter).

That said, the AG store still looks like it'd be a fun place to visit (there isn't one of those, or a Build-a-Bear Workshop store, anywhere near where I live).

It must have been a beautiful trip. Did you get to see the new version of Belles towndress? http://www.disneystore.com/belle-doll-costume-set/mp/1383572/1000259/The accessories are a nice touch in my opinion

Oh my goodness! Sorry to leave all of you hanging for so long! This month has gotten away from me...

Lol, NovaBabe, I'm in the same boat. I'm not quite at 16, but between my AGs and all of my other collections, I'm definitely running out of space! I'm so happy for you, though...#62 is gorgeous, even more so in person. :D

I'm looking forward to reading Maryellen's books and would at least like to add her Poodle Skirt outfit to my collection. I had a poodle skirt when I was ten that my mom helped me make myself, so I've always had a soft spot for them. ;)

Sounds like you have lots of fun dolly stuff planned! :) Can't wait to hear more.

Hi Julia! I hope you're able to save up for #62 soon. She really is a gorgeous doll. :)

Sigh, I STILL need to get my rear in gear and finish my Project MC2 McKeyla review! I've been too busy writing my book, which I suppose is a good thing. I just need to be better at balancing my writing and my blogging. ;)

Sounds like you have some great costume ideas. I love the Avengers! :D

Hi Janeen! So sorry I didn't respond to this right away. I'll see if I can steal Maryellen's Poodle Skirt outfit from my mom for a while. ;)

I feel so silly...I completely spaced the new Grace outfit. We only had an hour at the AG Place, so I was flying through the store, trying to get as many pictures as I could AND my shopping done as quickly as possible. :}

Hi MyLittleMegara! :) I know, right? So funny. The AG Place in the Bay Area actually doesn't have the GOTY display like some of the other stores, so I suppose she has more of an excuse than an employee at another store. ;)

Hi Sunny_Harper1994! Yes, the living room set and the Winter White Outfit are both so nice. And Maryellen is gorgeous, too. I never realize how much AG stuff I "need" until I go back to the AG Place. Suddenly I MUST HAVE ALL THE THINGS!!!!!! ;D

Hi Mark! I totally understand. It seems like AG dolls either really appeal to people or really don't. I do love their books, though. My girls will spend a whole summer reading through them all. ;) I must confess, though, we all prefer the pre-BeForever versions with all of the lovely illustrations. ;)

Like you, I also appreciate the fact that they tackle some serious subjects. They've made great springboards for important conversations with my daughters. There's nothing like a fictional story to bring relevance to important issues. :)

Lol, that's hilarious that they "edited" a Bambi book. That being said, I always found that part rather traumatizing as a kid. :{ My uncle, who was a hunter, HATED that movie for the way it portrayed hunters.

The AG Store really is a great place to visit. You have to appreciate the level of detail they put into the stores. I just love walking through all of the displays. I would love to work there just to do all of the displays! :D

Hi Meritre! Yes, we had a wonderful time. :) It was a very fun "unbirthday" trip. ;)

Sadly, I didn't see Belle's town dress or any of the other new outfits. I probably would have bought them if I had. ;)

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About Me

I'm a stay-at-home mom with 3 little girls, happily married for 13 years to my high school sweetheart, and most importantly, a Christian. I love singing in my church, spending time with my family, and fixing up TLC dolls. I'm also hoping to eventually become a published author, but we'll see what the Lord has planned.
The other blog contributors on my team are Tess, Maggie, and Emma, my 18" dolls who write on "Jane Austen and Unicorns" about their adventures, and Belle, my 12" Disney fashion doll who shares her life stories on "Belle's Bulletins".